These Lovely Scars
by thisishowyouaxolotl
Summary: Emily was supposed to be at peace, but when she rematerializes in the real world she isn't even dead. Alive and confused, she tries to make her way living in the real world 2016. She's had enough of men, but the men haven't had enough of her! Can she find true love? Is that why she was brought here? Or will her dark past mar any hope she has of establishing a healthy relationship?
1. Awake

_Disclaimer: I do not own Emily or her back story from the Corpse Bride_

**Chapter One**

The bright white light died down, leaving my eyes blinking at the change. I felt strange, different. I couldn't figure out why. Was this what being free felt like? It was different to what I imagined. I glanced at my skin, something was wrong. It looked wrong; it felt wrong, it _was_ wrong. It was soft, yet it had a quality about it that I had never seen. Suddenly I noticed white moths landing on me, entranced, I lifted one up to look at it. Instead of flying away, the moth spread its wings flat against the surface of my hand and sunk into my skin, like a strange tattoo before fading to a pale ivory. I looked to the rest of my body; the skin had that same strange quality, as if it was too defined. Then I noticed the flesh on my leg and arm had returned. As I grabbed my leg in wonder, my hair spilled forward and I saw that it was a warm chestnut brown. The same colour it was before I died. I felt my ribs; the gaping hole had disappeared, as had the gnash on my left cheek. Only then did I look at my surroundings, forest, forest and more forest, starlight leaking through the dark branches like molten silver. I pulled myself to my feet wobbly, before falling onto my hands. And then I felt something. Pain. I stared in wonder at the crimson liquid seeping from my palm. No, it couldn't be. Quivering, I pressed my hand to my chest. And then I felt it. A heartbeat. I was alive.

Clutching a tree trunk, I screamed. This wasn't meant to happen. I was meant to pass on, to be at peace. My nails clawed grooves into the bark, I couldn't think, this was all too much. Sobbing, I ran through the trees, not caring when branches sliced my skin, stopping only when I tripped over. The smell of damp earth and rotting leaves filled my nose. I was tired, so tired, and cold, my thoughts were blurring, along with my vision. Cold drops of rain slid down the curve of my wrist before returning to the damp earth. Why did they send me back? Hadn't I paid enough? My heart had been broken one too many times. As I began to lose consciousness, the last thing I saw before the darkness took me was a bright light streaming through the undergrowth and two strong arms pulling me close...


	2. Darkly Dreaming

**_a/n: I'm sorry I didn't update, I was trying to piece this together but I just kept deleting it because I decided, slow good writing, is better than fast crappy writing. When I start to get into the story and finish introductions and all that jazz I will try to update waaaaay more frequently, but I'm moving to another country. AGAIN. So I cannot make any promises. If you genuinely like my story then I am sorry because I know how irritating the wait is and if you don't well sorry if I sound stupid thinking you'd care anyway, back to the story super short though. PLEASE FORGIVE ME!_**

_Darkness. And cold. Never ending trees. The sound of the ocean. Butterflies, pale as starlight. I follow them through the trees. Their tiny beating wings leading me on, leading me to him. I stop. There he is. The boy, who both broke my heart, and healed it. Victor. I touch his face, he must have died, to meet me here. I feel his chest, his heart still beats. But then if he is alive, then how am I here? He is staring at me as if he has seen a ghost, and he has, perhaps. I open my mouth to tell him I am alive, but no words come out. Strange. But then again, I am not alive anymore. But why is he here, if he isn't dead? He breathes my name, delicate as wings, and I smile. But he looks terrified. "What are you doing here?" He whispers. "When you turned into butterflies I thought you had moved on! What are you doing in the land of the living?!" Land of the Living? What was Victor talking about? I had died again last night, unless... oh no. Suddenly I feel the land shake like a snow globe, and I fall to the ground. Able to speak again, I cry out for help. He runs forward and grabs my hand. I hold on tightly as the unseen force shakes me. My hand is slipping and the band of gold on Victor's fragile hand slides off just before my hand does and I am yanked into a dark cloud, his name still on my lips._


	3. New Beginning

_This is where the typical author puts a disclaimer, but seeing as this is __**fanfiction**__, I'd say that's a disclaimer in itself. My life is pretty shitty right now so writing takes ages when I do get time to actually write- you know family stuff and high school stuff interfering. I apologise for this. _

_Ps. I realise that my tense in this story is all kinds of fucked up, but it sounds weird when I stick to one tense. In my mind anyway._

_Pps. I know this chapter will have a lot of just 'stuff' in it. But this is the whole, setting the scene chapter you know, not too much dialogue yet. But don't worry- it'll come._

I felt my bones jar as my body flung itself forward out of the darkness and into a… bed? Its frame was a sturdy metal painted a peeling white, flakes of paint curling away like dying insects. My blanket was flat and heavy. I could tell it used to be white like the bed, but age had taken its toll, and the fabric had gone yellow like tea-stains. I tried to sit up. Suddenly I was aware of every injury I had inflicted on myself last night. _Last night_. Once again, I lifted a quivering hand to my chest only to find flesh and skin, as smooth and white as ivory. My hands still felt deathly cold. If I'm here, was Victor a dream then? It must have been. I pulled the covers away to assess my injuries. Bruises blossomed all over my body like wildflowers, and I could feel the nasty sting of a thousand small cuts on my face and arms. My veil was all but ruined- torn to tatters by the thorns I had struggled through before collapsing, before… I froze. Through all the shock and pain, I hadn't even thought about where I was or who it was who had picked me up last night. Cautiously, I lifted my feet out of the bed onto the cold hardwood floor- they too, were spotted with bruises and old blood. I crept across the strangely bare room to the only door- a big old wooden thing with a doorknob that looked like it was about to fall off any second. Just as I was about to grasp the knob, it turned suddenly and began to rattle violently. I quickly scanned the room for something to defend myself with, finding nothing, I jumped under the covers and rolled over, pretending to be asleep. The doorknob continued to make rattling noises behind me, and I heard a quick stream of curses before a loud thump and the door crashed open. The sound of soft footsteps and two voices murmuring to each other quietly floated across the room from the now open door. One belonged to man, or a boy was more likely- he sounded young, worried. The other belonged to woman; calm, confident and motherly. I strained my ears, trying to hear what they were saying- the woman's voice rose above the boy's, cutting him off.

"Relax Kai, I checked on her half an hour ago- all her vitals are normal. I don't think she OD'd- she probably just took a little more than she was used to and passed out."

The boy, Kai, was silent for a moment before speaking, his volume matching the woman's.

"You sure it's drugs? I didn't see any needle marks, only bruises."

Now that I could hear him clearly, I was surprised at his voice. It was soft and lilting, though not at all feminine. The woman breathed out heavily through her nose.

"Might have been her first time, or maybe she's on pills. I don't know Kai! Unless she ran away that's the only explanation I have for any of this."

Kai was silent again.

"Should we try and wake her? If someone was trying to hurt her we need to take her to the police."

I let all the new information wash through me. These people probably didn't want to hurt me- guilty people don't involve themselves with the police, but what were they talking about drugs for? Why would I have needle marks if someone gave me poison? Poison came from plants! Not from thin sticks of metal or bone. I was confused. Before I had time to ponder my decision, I lifted myself out from under the yellowing colours and turned myself to look at the pair. The boy's face was pale, like the moonlight that I always loved. His cheekbones were high and defined, and gave me the impression of a faery. His eyes were the colour of molten silver, framed by long lashes as dark as the messy mop of hair that covered his forehead, sticking out at odd angles. He was tall and lanky, like he hadn't quite filled out yet, backing my guess that he was only young- 17 at most. The woman was the complete opposite. Her face was round, sparkling blue eyes peering out from rosy cheeks. Her light brown hair pulled back into a tight bun, with not a hair out of place. While Kai was tall and lanky, the woman was short and plump, similar to Victor's mother. The pair both wore the strangest of clothes- Kai was dressed all in black, crumpled pants beneath a long sleeved shirt, made from a soft looking material. The woman was dressed similarly, though her pants were an odd blue, and her shirt was as pink as a wildflower. The woman wore makeup, I noticed, marking her as a noble. That was odd. Usually only poor people would help someone on the street- nobles had neither the desire nor the compassion. The woman stared before leaping into action, and bustled towards me at a frightening speed. Kai started to walk over too, but the woman snapped at him 'to make himself scarce'. Kai rolled his eyes, an extremely rude gesture towards a senior, and loped out of the room, shutting the door behind himself with a slam. When he was gone, the woman pulled a chair up to my bed and paused.

"What's your name child?"

I went to speak, but the noises that erupted from my mouth scraped like the mortar and pestle the family doctor used to grind herbs. The woman, offered me water in a glass, and I drank greedily, wincing at my lack of manners. This time when I spoke, I managed to answer her, albeit hoarsely.

"Emily. My name is Emily Carter."

Unlike most nobles, she looked unsurprised at my last name. My father's perfume shipping may have bought us riches and fine titles, but it couldn't give me the respect all the old money had.

"Well Emily, my name is Miss. Carthright. Do you have any family Emily?"

Though it had happened after I died, I felt the pain as if I were still there, "No. Plague took my mother and father- I never had siblings."

A strange look contorted her face, before she pulled it back into a cheerful mask.

"Plague did you say? Do you mean they got the flu or something- the flu was pretty severe this year?"

Flu? What was she talking about? "No Miss, the plague that swept through Britain about 5 years ago, remember?" There was that odd look again.

"Of course Emily, how could I forget? Honey… can you tell me why you were unconscious in a forest?"

I could feel her studying my face, gauging my reaction to the question. I couldn't very well tell her that I had risen from the dead- that would just get me a straightjacket and a one-way ticket to Bedlam. So I decided to lie. "I don't rightly know Miss. Carthright. All I remember is waking up in the forest and then being here." Her warm eyes searched mine- I knew she knew I was lying. However, she simply smiled.

"Well Emily, that's okay if you don't want to tell me- I won't involve the police. But if you want to stay here, I'm going to have to lay down some rules. So, are you going to stay?"

I thought about my options. I couldn't go back to Victor- he was with Victoria now. I couldn't find my way by myself- most 17 year old girls were married by now with husbands to support them- I just couldn't do it. If I got a job here, I wouldn't have to become a nun, dedicating my life to someone who didn't exist. I made my decision. "Yes Miss. Carthright, I would be forever in your debt if you let me stay. I could work as a maid or a tutor if you have children. That's if you don't mind a woman teaching your children." She looked baffled before laughing so hard her eyes disappeared beneath her rosy cheeks.

"Upon my soul child- how old are you? I'd say you're much rather suited to school than to working. Besides- everyone helps out around here, we don't hire maids."

Her reaction confused me almost as much as the words. "But Miss, I'm already 17!" Her grin broadened.

"That's plenty young enough to be in school missy. In my house, we complete school- no year 10 drop outs! Now come on! Let's get you out of those rags and into something clean!"

She grabbed my hand and exclaimed 'dearie, you're cold as ice!' Apologising when she touched the tender skin, she led me through the door, turning the broken knob without any struggle unlike Kai. The walls were painted a rich green, which suited the dark wooden floors. She gently pulled me down the dim hallway and into a white tiled room with a big white tub made of what appeared to be ceramic rather than the dark metal I was used to. As she ran water into the bath from pipes in the wall, I stripped myself of the dress and veil I had worn solid for 10 years. It was a strange thing. This dress was both a relic of my mother, and a reminder of the day I was murdered by a man I thought loved me. Though my body had healed, the fabric of my wedding dress, or more accurately, my shroud, was still torn where Barkis had run me through with the long dagger he kept in his coat- the dagger that had destroyed countless hearts before mine. I was still staring at the dress when Miss. Carthright snatched it from the floor, tutting at the torn material and gave me a gentle push towards the steaming bath. I waited for her to leave before lowering myself into the hot water, gasping at the sensation I had not felt for a decade- warmth that soaked into my bones, leaving me relaxed and happy. I found an odd flask that read, 'Body Wash', and assumed that meant soap, lathering the strange-smelling liquid over my body. The water rapidly turned a murky grey and when I was sure I was clean, I wrapped a towel around myself and emptied the bath. Disgusted, I rinsed the sludge that had settled along the bottom just in time before Miss. Carthright burst through the door and placed some clothes on a small table, proclaiming how 'they might be big since you're so small but until we can go shopping they'll have to do!', bustling out as quickly as she had entered. I quickly changed into the clothes she had left me: a pair of soft baggy grey pants, like what a farm boy would wear except with rich material, and a massive, bright red, long sleeved shirt with a riding hood made out of the same material. They were comfortable, but I felt uneasy wearing the clothes of a man. A pair of thick socks came with the outfit, but I waited until I left the room before putting them on, as she hadn't given me shoes to protect them from the wet floor. When I got to the hallway, I looked down the direction we had come from, only to find no one waited for me. I turned around and screamed when I saw a dark figure stalking towards me from the shadows. I fell to the ground sobbing, scrambling backwards until my back hit the trunk of a tree. Twigs sliced my flesh as Barkis raised his hand, the blade glinting in the moon's icy light as he brought the knife down "Please don't kill, take my jewels. Please don't kill me, take m-" My words were cut off.

"Hey, hey! It's alright I'm not going to hurt you! It's me! I'm the one who found you in the forest remember?"

His panicked tone pulled me back, and the hallucination slowly faded. "K-Kai?" He began patting my shoulder awkwardly.

"That's my name. I also answer to handsome, cutie and dashing".

I laughed- a strangled noise that made me cringe. He pulled me gently to my feet.

"Bloody hell, your hands are cold as death itself!"

I smirked inwardly at the cruel irony. He smiled, a crooked sweet smile, the kind of smile that would have made my heart miss a beat. Not anymore.

"You alright? Do you want me to call Nancy? She's better at getting the girls settled."

I put two and two together and assumed by Nancy he meant Miss. Carthright. As much as she made me feel at ease, I felt embarrassed at the thought of calling her for such a trivial reason, "No, I'm fine… Is there any way I have to go or…" He laughed at my uneasy manner.

"Well if you're hungry I can get you dinner… which is kinda why I came, but then you freaked out and, well you know the rest."

As he spoke in that odd way of his, I realised I was famished. He grinned again.

"I feel like I haven't eaten in ten years".

Very smiley, this lad. Barkis was smiley as well. "Me too." I offered a wry smile. He had no idea.

After I had shovelled down the eggs and toast in the most un-lady like manner possible, earning more than a few laughs from Kai, he showed me to my room, which I was to share with three other girls around my age. He leant against the frame of the door for a moment, earning some appreciative glances from two of the girls, and a scathing glare from the one studying in the corner.

"Well, goodnight then Emily. You girls be nice to her!"

He winked mischievously and ducked out of the room. I walked over to my bed, which was situated next to the window, and having nothing to put away, sat down on the soft covers. For a moment I listened in to the other girl's conversation, but only hearing talk of boys, I quickly tuned out. I wanted nothing to do with that right now. Instead I drew the curtains and looked out at the view, stopping short. I was in Lainsborough, I knew it from the ocean. The same ocean I had gazed at every night before my murder, shining under tonight's full moon. But the small fishing town I once knew was completely and utterly gone. The lights from thousands of houses twinkled in the inky black like fireflies in a meadow, replacing what once was the impenetrable darkness of the forest. Not including cities like London, this was the largest collection of buildings in one place I had ever seen. A harsh wind rattled eerily through the bare branches outside my window, like death's whisperings. How long had I been gone? I felt like I was in the Inbetween for only a second before returning. Victor might be an old man by now… Had 60 years passed? Or more? Was he dead? The mere thought made me feel like my heart was being crushed. Just because I couldn't have him, didn't mean I don't still love him. I turned around to look at my room companions. The two girls were talking loudly and giggling, nudging each other rather violently. I cleared my throat, but before I could say anything, the girl with the messy black hair glanced up and launched into action.

"Hi I'm Sam, 17, dad used to hit me."

She gestured to the small blonde wraith next to her.

"This is Bethany, 16, orphaned. And that grouch-", she jerked her thumb at the studying girl, "-is Amrit, 17, dumped at a train station when she was 6. What about you? I'm guessing… drugs?"

I was so taken aback by her abrupt statement, that for a moment I was speechless. I didn't know why everyone kept thinking it was drugs, but I guessed that was the easiest story to go along with. "Yeah… they found me unconscious." The girl nodded as if this was rather significant.

"I did drugs too, until I got away from my dad. It gets better".

She smiled sympathetically. Unsure of how to respond, I decided to get straight to the question that had seared itself into my mind. "Um, how long ago was 1763?" She stared before bursting into raucous laughter.

"Well that came out of nowhere, honestly, I wouldn't know- ask that brainiac."

Amrit turned around, and I saw that her skin was brown like the southerners that sometimes traded in our little port. She was beautiful, in an exotic way which was completely at odds with her blank expression.

"1763 was about 253 years ago"

Her voice was bored and sounded slightly irritated at being interrupted. She grimaced at me- trying, I think, to smile, before turning back to her studies immediately. But I wasn't worried about that. Nausea rose up like poison inside me. Victor was definitely dead, which meant last night _was _a dream. It also meant that it was 2016.

_*A rude interruption from the author* Yes I know it's boring and lame and the ending is abrupt, but I've worked a plot out and this is how I have to start. (It's hard stuff writing!)_


	4. Hole in the Heart

My breath billowed out in misty clouds, condensing in the frozen air. The heavy snow had slowed into a powdery nothing, dusting my shoulders in glittering white before melting, as if it were never there. Although I couldn't see it, I knew the moon was far along its meridian. The bells of the church had chimed midnight a mere two hours ago- I had forty five minutes.

I shivered as I pulled my cloak tighter around my body, its pitch black fabric hanging heavy on my bony shoulders. My funeral cloak. The bottom swirled around my ankles as I took cautious steps forward, hoping the dark colour would discourage any unwanted eyes from seeing something they shouldn't. The town crier's son had recently taken over his post, and nothing on this earth would keep that man from yelling at the top of his lungs- I just hoped he was asleep as he should be.

As I approached the bridge, my steps slowed. The wood was slick with moss, lichen and ice, beginning to rot in some places. They would have to replace it soon, lest some unfortunate carriage go plummeting into the churning river beneath. This far into the depths of winter, the grey river flowed sluggishly under the bridge, choked with ice, disguising the violent currents that raged beneath.

No one would hear you scream.

Recoiling, I shook off that dark thought- today was to be the happiest day of my life; I wasn't going to let that kind of thinking ruin that.

As soon as my feet touched the frozen-hard ground, I quickened my steps, almost slipping twice on patches of ice. The forest rose up out of the ground, its dark leering branches stark against the silvery grey of the sky, slicing it apart. One strong gust and it would fracture into a million glittering shards. A harsh wind hissed through the briar and bare branches of the forest, catching the bottom of my cloak and wrenching it skyward so that the cold bit through the white lace of my dress. I hurriedly guided myself through the ancient, thick trunks; skirting around the frozen pond, its luminous surface broken only by the thin, black twigs poking through. As I ventured deeper into the forest, crumbling tombstones began to appear, the letters made illegible by weather and time. The old cemetery. I was there.

Gingerly, I made my way through the graves to the oak tree where we had agreed to meet. Finding nothing else to do, I went through my possessions to make sure we had everything we needed. Some clothes and shoes as well as my favourite books- these I repacked neatly into the satchel, taking my time. Next I checked the heavy weight at my hip- the gold and jewels. Daddy would kill me when he found out, but what choice did I have? After what happened with Percy, this could be my last shot at a marriage where I actually loved my husband. So many suitors and none of them truly loving me. Not like Percy did. Not like Barkis does.

_Barkis._

My heart swelled at the mere thought of him. I remembered the day we first met in the square, the day after Percy rejected my letter and left me for some other woman, disappearing that same night. Barkis had been there- such the gentleman. I had seen him around town before but we had never spoken. He didn't even know me and yet he had known I was distraught, buying me a cup of tea to calm myself- all the while he was poor himself! And so handsome; a strong jaw, raven dark hair pulled back neatly, and the most astonishing blue eyes. He told me how the plague took his last wife, so open to me. Treating me like a _real_ human being rather than some prize to be won. A mere beauty in the transaction of wealth and status. A pawn in some rich man's game.

He was perfect. He _is_ perfect. So of course daddy didn't like him. He told me that he didn't the look of his eyes. That he, a merchant, knew when someone was dishonest, and this man was less trustworthy than a rowboat with holes in the bottom. But I knew the real reason he didn't like him was because he wasn't rich. A father trying to protect his daughter. I knew he meant well- but for once I had to think about my happiness. I had spent too long trying to please others, hurting myself to do so. Never again.

He was late.

I started to panic- what if something had gone wrong? What if daddy had found out and shot him? What if he had fallen into the river? One look at that river and you knew if you fell in, you weren't coming out.

What if he wasn't coming?

No.

He would come- I knew it in my heart. He loved me. He had to. He promised.

I heard a crack echo through the darkness behind me. I whipped around to see a dark shadow emerging from between the trees, feeling a scream rise up in my throat as I stumbled backwards. Then that dark shadow stepped into the half-light, revealing the features of a face I knew so well. Barkis, finally.

"Sorry my dear- did I keep you waiting?"

I recovered enough from my momentary terror to swat him playfully on the arm, "You near scared me to death! I thought you had drowned in the river!" He had the had the good grace to look away from my chastising glare, before lifting my hand to his lips, looking seductively up at me. I felt a blush rise to my cheeks, still not used to a man looking at me in such a way that was not old or lecherous. He then began to make small, feathery kisses up my arm, tickling me until I was forced to laugh, "Enough! You are forgiven! However I would like to know what kept you so." He stepped back, his eyes calm and his mouth pulled into that confident smile that I loved so much.

"It appears the town crier's son enjoys a good early morn stroll- I had to walk around town to avoid him, resulting in my late arrival. Trust me dear, nothing less would keep me from you; you're just too beautiful!"

And with that he stepped forward, planting a soft kiss on my forehead, before moving down to meet my lips. He wrapped his heavy coat around me as I knotted my fingers through his soft black hair, noticing a silver streak running through it. We stayed like this awhile, embracing each other, sharing warmth. His soft kisses began to deepen as he moved his hand to cover my bust. I let him stay, until his hands began to wander and I hastily pulled back. "Barkis darling- I know it's hard …but we have to wait… We'll be married tomorrow and we can consummate our marriage then." I didn't tell him what happened with Percy. But he didn't have to know. Though his eyes were disappointed, he backed away respectfully.

"Of course Emily…I forgot myself." He swiftly regained his composure, sweeping back his hair and straightening his suit under his charcoal grey coat. "Well then I suppose we should be heading off soon- do you have your things?"

I lifted the satchel up in response and handed it to him, where he then deftly packed it into a leather saddlebag.

"What about the valuables?"

Mentally cursing myself for being so daft, I quickly untied them from my hip, handing them over so that he could pack them into the saddlebags as well. He tied a complex knot, protecting the bag from curious hands. Stretching, he yawned as he straightened himself.

"Alright then- sorry Emily."

"Hmm, what for?"

He slowly turning around, his face suddenly blank and cold.

"For this."

His hand whipped out, striking me so hard I fell to the ground, knocking my head against the hard wood of the oak. Pain split through my skull as I struggled to pull myself up, his dead eyes watching me, emotionless. I stared back, my own eyes wide with shock and horror. Blood dribbled from my lip. He smirked.

"Oh come now Emily darling, don't look at me like that- you should have known that this was coming. Did you honestly think I wanted to _marry_ you? But you made it all too easy to pretend, buying into that sad, sob story about my last wife, accepting my friendship in exchange for the mere purchase of tea."

He leant close to my face, our noses almost touching.

"And you betrayed your dear father for this. Tell me, would he take you back after all you've done?"

I worked up as much spittle and blood as I could and spat in his face, "Why don't you save the speech for someone who cares. You've got my money. Leave." He snarled and stumbled backwards, his face turning a ludicrous red under the foamy pink covering it. The humiliation of being completely tricked was almost worth it. Almost.

He struck me again. This time so hard that when I hit the ground I saw stars and my vision blurred. Wrenching me over so that I was on my back, he straddled my waist, his knees pinning my arms down whilst his hands gently pulled my hair off of my face. I flinched back from his hand, which was gently caressing my cheek. His eyes narrowed as he gripped my chin hard, leaning forward to plant a forceful kiss on my mouth, tasting the blood on my lips.

"My dear, sweet, naïve Emily. You didn't think the damsel got away at the end of this story?"

He laughed then. The sound chilled me to the bone, deeper than the cold could ever reach.

"I hate to break this to you love, but _this_ story is about to get a lot more sad."

As I realised what he meant, I tried to scream, but he clamped his hand firmly over my mouth, blocking any noise from escaping. He continued to speak as if nothing had happened.

"There's a lot of skill involved in what I do- it takes much preparation to effectively set up and deploy such a high-end heist. Didn't you find it strange at all that a few days after I arrived in town Percy decided to leave?"

Oh God.

He killed Percy.

No. No. No. No. No.

Tears began to stream soundlessly from my eyes, almost instantly freezing in the chill. He smiled, a twisted mockery of the real thing.

"It was quite easy really. All I had to do was intercept your letter- that messenger can be very easily persuaded with a little side cash. Naturally your little marriage scheme would have put a dent in my plans, so I sent him a new letter asking him to meet you by this very tree. That night-"

No.

"- he rushed here. So eager. So happy; a ridiculous smile plastered over his face as he waited. I walked up behind him-"

No.

"-and slit his throat. It didn't take him long to bleed out-"

No.

"- it's easier than you think, dumping a body. The river at this time of year was perfect- ice covered up any trail he would have left. Probably somewhere out at sea now-"

No.

"-then your letter. It was written by me naturally- though how you could not tell escapes me. So much for true love. It's amazing that you were so quick to give up on him, to accept that he left you. I wonder how he would feel knowing that you could think that of him? It'd break his heart."

NO!

I bit his hand, releasing a hysterical scream before his hand slammed back over my mouth, cutting off the sound. His grip tightened so much that I felt the blood leave my face. I slackened. I wasn't going to get away. He was going to kill me, just like he did Percy.

Smiling cruelly, he pulled himself up, delivering a vicious blow to my side. I felt ribs crack, hitting something deeper. He didn't flinch when I let out a short scream. He knew no one would hear. Staring at him with eyes full of hate, I lifted a weak hand and threw a small rock at him. It bounced pathetically off his coat. Calmly, he brought his heel down to my elbow, splintering bone with a sickening, wet snap. I let out another scream, tears streaming down my face. He leant down and dragged me up by my hair before slamming my skull against the oak tree. His hands wrapped themselves tightly around my throat.

"Don't take it personally my dear, it's just business. And don't forget to say hello to Percy for me- tell him no hard feelings. After all, I don't want him to get the wrong idea about me."

I stared him straight in the eye, my voice rasping through his iron grip "Go to hell." He laughed, a strangled, brittle sound.

"I'm afraid that's where you're going my sweet."

He leant forward once more and kissed me once on the forehead. His nasty mouth brushing the skin delicately.

"Goodbye Emily."

And then he killed me.

I felt the cold steel slide up through my ribs into my heart. I felt his satisfaction as his picked up the saddle bags and slung them over one shoulder, whistling as he disappeared back into the trees. I felt my life drain out of me as the darkness took over. I felt until I didn't.

Funny, I thought dying would be more painful.

Apparently not.

Apparently not.

A/n: Okay. Well that was horrible. Don't worry, I am uploading this with the next, not horrifying chapter so we can all get this bad taste out of our mouths. PS. I'm going to start putting song suggestions to match either the chapter, or how I was feeling when writing it- this chapter's song was Severus and Stone by Radical Face. Also, FOR PLOT'S SAKE ignore that she was buried. I like to think snow covered her, then dirt and leaves etc. And well, what ACTUALLY happened to the bodies in the movie? She was still buried- but her body was in that purgatory place? And you could argue that it was her ghost that was down there whilst her body was buried- but the body moved and she came out and walked around the land of the living- and then her purgatory-self did the same thing. UNLESS! Unless she hadn't gone downstairs yet and was waiting the whole time, and Jangle Bones somehow knew her story? I don't know- plot holes everywhere but who gives a rat's arse? Not me! The movie was beautiful and that's what matters u. Also about Barkis being handsome… well there's no way he would ACTUALLY have a chin like that and there has to be a reason Emily like him besides the *vomit* charm. Which is why I had to make him sound handsome. BUT poor darling is going to go white at age 30-35 seeing as he's been doing this a while and Emily had to have been dead for a while- long enough for Victor to not have remembered her, but not so long that it's impossible for Barkis to have attempted to fake-marry her and move on to the next poor lots of girls and come back to the town. All guesswork but whatever ^u^

a/n 2: Well took too long to write chapter 6 so am uploading this now- really sorry T-T. But Chapter 6 I coming along nicely.


	5. Dearest Dead

_My dearest Percy,_

_I tremble as I write this, for fear that my father may find it and destroy it; however I must prevail! We have been courting for two years now and friends since childhood, years of love and time to cherish each other. But last night as I dined with mother and father, she brought up the topic of marriage! My father proceeded to list suitors, all of them twice my age and no doubt lecherous. I cannot bear the thought. I must be with you- I don't care if this whole town shuns me! I don't care about class or money. I just want you. We must be swift, meet me at midnight tonight by our old forest hideout we made when we were children. Be prepared- I will bring my dowry and all my important possessions. I love you, that's why I gave myself to you, and I know you love me too. We will leave this town and its sullen inhabitants. We can move to London so you can become a naturalist just like you dreamed._

_I will see you tonight._

_With love and kindness, through this life and the next, _

_Eternally yours, Emily._

_Ps. Do not reply. As you know my father has suspected our friendship became something more for a while now, but without proof he wouldn't deny us that. I think he has been intercepting my letters, I know he just wants what's best for me, but he won't accept anything less than some rich Lord._

* * *

_Emily,_

_By the time you get this, I will most likely be gone. I know we're friends, but that's all we can be. My involvement with you was a lapse in judgment. No man will ever hire me if he thinks I'll seduce his daughter- this would ruin me. I've found someone else, she's a better match I think. We've been together awhile now. I'm sorry, but I cannot accept your feelings anymore, it was fun while it lasted but I've got to think about my future. A future without you. I never wanted to hurt you, I didn't think it would last this long without you ending things. Don't look for me. Don't write. I won't reply. I just need you out of my life for good, or it will be too painful for the both of us._

_Percy._

* * *

_My dearest Emily,_

_I write this letter in the hopes that someday you will return and read it. Let it be said, when I received your letter I was consumed with rage. You had gone behind my back, stolen from me and ignored everything I said. But I want you to know I forgive you. I love you, my daughter, and I will never stop loving you. And yet I cannot help but feel dread in the pit of my stomach- you say you love him, but when I look into his eyes I see nothing. They are as blank and cold as a sheet of ice over murky water. I cannot read him, and I do not like that. Honest men have nothing to hide. I fear that one day he will hurt you, or discard you. Perhaps worse. I can feel the malevolence, the darkness that coils within him. I can smell the tar that drips from his heart, hear the stirrings of hate. I can't accept him. I'm sorry. All I ask that if you ever read this letter, you will come back. I miss you and I never wanted you gone. Be careful._

_With all my love, Father._


End file.
